


Perfect To Me

by Purpleplasticpurse



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26865973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purpleplasticpurse/pseuds/Purpleplasticpurse
Summary: What could possibly be taking her so long?On their first night out after becoming parents, Emily is in need of some TLC from Aaron. Fluffy-ish. Part 2 is rated M!
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Emily Prentiss
Comments: 11
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This little one-shot popped into my mind over the summer, and I realized I never posted it here. Just a short and sweet moment in time about my two favorite agents. As always, enjoy!

He checks his watch for the fourth time. 

_ What  _ could possibly be taking her this long? He’s already gotten Jack settled with the babysitter, checked on Ava, replaced the batteries in the baby monitor,  _ and _ replenished the stash of formula in the fridge. How long does it actually take to put a dress on? 

It’s been three months since she'd given birth to their daughter Ava Madeline, and three months of adjusting to new schedules, transitioning from one child to two, and a slew of other changes that left them happy and fulfilled yet exhausted. 

For the first time since her arrival, Emily and Aaron found themselves navigating a new challenge - parents’ night out. Shortly before Ava was even born, they agreed to attend a benefit fundraiser for ALS hosted by Rossi in honor of his late wife. Afterward, they considered not going, with Ava still practically a newborn, but ultimately decided it would be a  _ good _ thing to get out of the house for the evening. 

Except now he wasn’t sure if they’d even make it. 

_ Does she forget how to get ready?  _ Aaron thinks with equal parts amusement and frustration. Another five minutes pass, and he finally ascends the stairs, dodging a few toys and a basket of laundry. He’s met by silence on the second floor of their house. It’s almost odd - their house is hardly ever quiet anymore. 

“Em,” he calls from the hallway into their bedroom, rapping his knuckles against the door in a tentative knock, quiet enough not to wake Ava. Before he’d headed downstairs almost an hour ago, she’d been putting the finishing touches on her makeup and hair, wrapped in a bathrobe with a tube of mascara in her hand. Surely she isn’t still getting dressed. It’s never taken her this long before. “Are you almost ready?” 

There’s no answer, but from this angle he can see the light spilling out from underneath the door to their closet. He tries again, his knock a bit sharper this time.

“Sweetheart, we’re going to be late.” A quick check of his watch tells him they’re going to be  _ very _ late at this point. The babysitter has been there for almost 40 minutes already - Jack has already finished his dinner, a movie is playing on the television in the family room, and Ava is sleeping peacefully in her crib in the nursery. If they don’t leave now, they’re going to spend more time sitting in Northern Virginia traffic than at the benefit. 

At this rate, they’re going to miss the first part of cocktail hour at the least. 

A muffled noise comes from behind the door, and he steps into their dim bedroom, taking inventory of the pile of clothes that has accumulated in his absence. Several dresses are haphazardly thrown across the expanse of their king-sized bed; upon further inspection, pairs of high-heeled shoes are strewn across the floor. 

“Emily,” his tone is a shade softer than before, trying his best to hide his annoyance of their inevitable lateness. 

“In here.” 

He pushes the door of the closet open.

Emily is on the floor of their massive walk-in closet, sitting on a pile of dresses with one long leg tucked underneath of her, the other in front of her, wearing an expression he can’t quite place. Her hair is done - blown out and smooth with the ends curled up just a bit. She’s also wearing a full face of makeup - something she hasn’t done since before having Ava. 

She looks beautiful, but there’s no way to hide the discomfort laced in her eyes. It’s a look he’s seen a few times over the last couple of weeks since they settled into a routine with Ava - fleeting moments that have started to accumulate. It’s the look she wears when she passes a mirror, eyes lingering for just a moment longer than normal with a quick furrow of her eyebrows and disapproving grimace. The look she gave him days ago on Sunday morning when he’d woken her with lips pressed to her neck, his hands at the hem of her shirt, before she pushed him away, saved by their daughter’s high pitched wails piercing the walls of the house. The subtle irritation he senses when a well-meaning colleague or friend congratulates them and tells her how good she looks for just having a baby; how quickly she avoids the compliment with a dismissive laugh. 

“Sweetheart?” He leans against the door frame, observing her as nonchalantly as he can. They’re profilers, for God’s sake - she can read him just as well, if not better, than he can read her. She’ll see through him immediately. It’s very clear that something is wrong, and even though he thinks he knows what it is, he’s not sure how to fix it. 

“Is Madison here?” Emily doesn’t meet his gaze, her tone soft. 

“Yeah. She’s watching a movie with Jack. All settled in.” 

“You went over  _ everything _ with her? She knows Jack has been having trouble falling asleep and needs the double nightlight?” 

“I took care of it, Em. Reviewed all of your notes with her. She’s got it under control.” 

“And Ava is down?” 

“Has been for almost an hour.” He offers a smile, but she doesn’t return it, only nods her head approvingly. 

“I’m almost ready,” Emily sighs, pushing aside a pile of clothes. “I just need a minute.” She bites her already trembling lower lip, and it only takes a few seconds before she lowers her face into her hands, her fingers pressing into her eyes, careful not to smear her meticulously applied makeup. 

“Emily,” Aaron steps into the closet, shutting the door, and when he sits down next to her, there are tears sliding down her cheeks. “Come here,” he reaches for her, and when she just narrowly avoids his arms, putting two inches of space between them instead, his heart twists in his chest.

He can count on one hand the number of times he’s seen her cry. It happens so infrequently he doesn’t know what to say. He sensed she was off - that something wasn’t right - but he certainly wasn’t expecting this. 

Within a few moments she composes herself, swallowing hard and dabbing her eyes with a tissue and inspecting it for any smudged eye makeup. “Aaron,” Emily tugs at the watch on her wrist; twists her wedding rings around her finger. “Do I look … sloppy?” 

“ _ Sloppy _ ?” It’s certainly not a descriptor he’d ever associate with her. “What are you talking about?” 

Emily takes a shaky deep breath, choosing her words carefully. “Do I look like I’ve let myself go?” Rising to her feet, she tightens the belt of her robe around her waist, inspecting herself in the mirror, tugging at the fabric. “I’ve gained so much weight.” 

As she healed after having Ava, she’s become increasingly aware of the changes to her body that came along with pregnancy, and after. Her hips are slightly wider - just enough that her regular jeans are still snug; her stomach is softer than she’s used to. She hasn’t quite gotten the regular exercise routine back, much to her chagrin. 

They’re small changes, but coupled with the exhaustion of caring for a newborn, the incredibly slow healing process, and the wave of hormones that come along with having a baby, she’d be lying if she said she felt  _ good _ , or close to her old self. And in a quick decision, she drops the robe, revealing the matching black lace set she’d purchased for this specific occasion just the other day, just to be disappointed with her reflection in the mirror. “See?” She stands before Aaron, heat rising to her face. “Don’t even tell me you don’t notice.” 

Aaron looks his wife up and down for several moments, noticing how uncomfortable she looks even though he’s seen her in  _ much  _ less more times than either of them can begin to count. He swallows hard - if she weren’t so distraught he definitely would have tossed her onto the bed right then and there - and looks her up and down. She’s still perfect to him - the curve of her hip, the fullness of her chest, her long, endless legs - even the fading scar just under her ribcage. He takes a step closer and draws her into his arms. 

She doesn’t fight him, but shivers when he pulls her to him, and he runs his fingers up and down her spine soothingly. “I don’t see anything I didn’t fall in love with Em.” If he’s being completely honest, he’s been completely immersed in doting upon his family to even notice any of the changes she’s clearly so acutely aware of, but something tells him she’s not going to listen to that, at least not now. 

She laughs bitterly, the disbelief evident, pulling away. “Sometimes you’re too good to me, Aaron.” 

“Emily,” he tries again, this time more gently. “You grew a baby inside of you for nine months. You gave birth to that baby. What were you expecting?” 

“Three months ago,” she retorts, turning back to the mirror and pressing her hand to her stomach, then squeezing the skin on her hips. “It’s like I’m expanding.” 

“Where is this coming from?” He wants to pull her away from the mirror, tell her she’s beautiful, and maybe throw the mirror out the window - but they also  _ need _ to get going because they’re going to be  _ very  _ late at this point. “How long have you been feeling this way?” 

As if on a mission, Emily opens the door to the closet and pads over to their bed, digging through the pile of clothes once again. 

“JJ lost all of her baby weight in four weeks. She told me it was easy with all the breastfeeding.” Her face flushes red; she stares at her feet. 

He stiffens. Breastfeeding was a touchy subject with Emily - he doesn’t even attempt to go down that route, at least not tonight. He files it away for later; it’s a conversation they should have at some point. “JJ wasn’t in labor for 24 hours. She didn’t almost have an emergency C-section, and she certainly didn’t push for nearly three hours.” He swallows a lump in his throat when Emily squeezes her stomach in disdain once more. “Sweetheart,” he reaches for her again, and she bats his hand away. 

“I ... don’t feel like myself.” Emily sits on the edge of the bed. “I  _ hate _ what I see in the mirror, and I didn’t think it would get to me this much.” 

“I’ve only done this once before, so I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure your first job after having a baby is to heal, Emily. What were you expecting? To jump right back to normal? To go back into the field?” He shakes his head incredulously. “ Sweetheart, were you in the same delivery room as I was?” 

She twists her rings around her finger again. “I was there.” 

“Then give yourself a break.” He perches next to her, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. “You don’t need to add more to your plate.” 

Emily laughs for the first time all evening. “On a good day, I  _ know  _ I’m being ridiculous. Today just isn’t one of those days.” She plucks at the clothes still on the floor before pulling out an emerald green wrap dress with cap sleeves, inspecting it. “This one might work,” she murmurs, glancing at him through her long eyelashes, watching for his reaction. 

“You’re being incredibly tough on yourself, Emily. You needed to rest and heal.”

She sighs, her shoulders sagging. “I guess.” 

Standing, Aaron wraps her in his arms. “You’re an amazing mother, Emily.” his hand cupping the back of her head. “Watching you with Ava and Jack is one of the greatest gifts.”

“I don’t mean motherhood, Aaron. I  _ know _ I’m good at that. That’s the fun part,” a thin smile lifts the corners of her lips. “What’s hard is watching your body change having almost zero control over it.”

“You’ll always be perfect to me, you know.” Aaron wraps his other arm around her back, holding her against his chest. “Promise me you’ll remember that.” 

Emily nods, albeit slowly. “I promise. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Aaron kisses the top of her head. 

“How much time do I have?” 

“If you have any intention of getting there before this thing actually starts, five minutes.” 

“I can work with that.” She twists out of his arms, grabbing the dress and disappearing into the depths of their closet. 

She emerges a few minutes later, fastening an earring while stepping into her shoes of choice for the night - black stiletto heels - and reaching for her wrap. “I’m ready.” The dress was a good choice - it accentuates her curves without being too much, and he’s always had a thing for her in green. 

“You look good, Mrs. Hotchner,” Aaron eyes her appreciatively. 

“You think?” She beams, and she looks so damn beautiful he has to pinch himself.

“So good, I’m planning on showing you when we get home.” He presses a smooth kiss to her cheek, his lips lingering by her ear for a few extra seconds. 

Her eyes sparkle mischievously. “If we can stay awake that long. Now let’s hurry up before we’re late.” 


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all - me again, back with part 2, since there’s no way I could leave them at part one. So, I was watching Brothers Hotchner the other day for “research purposes,”(for We See No End) and one of the best little golden nuggets for me was the look on Dave’s face when Strauss said she was going to her hotel room to take a bath. Aw. Dave. I liked it so much I made Dave and Strauss a couple in this. I do like him better with Krystall, but I just couldn’t resist. 
> 
> This chapter is rated M (for the last part), because who in the current world doesn’t need some smutty, fluffy happiness these days? Enjoy! :)

There’s only one thing on Aaron’s mind by the time their evening winds down, a full hour  _ before _ the benefit is even supposed to end. He’s at the tail end of a long conversation with Erin when he catches Emily yawning discreetly into her fist from the corner of his eye. It’s his cue to politely duck out, especially because he’s not entirely sure how he got roped into it in the first place. He’s almost grateful for the excuse, because his promise to Emily hours before in their bedroom has been in the back of his mind since before they even arrived at the grand ballroom in the middle of downtown Arlington. 

Navigating smoothly through the crowd, nodding to some of the faces he recognizes, he makes his way back to their table to his wife. 

Emily and JJ have had their heads bent together for the last thirty minutes, undoubtedly swapping stories of motherhood, judging by the laughter that comes from their direction so often. Aaron has kept an extra close eye on Emily all night after the evening’s rocky start, and despite the fact they _did_ of course sit in an extra twenty minutes of traffic on 495, it had been a rather successful, and dare he even say, enjoyable evening. 

Any doubts Emily may have been harboring seemed to fade as they walked in several hours prior, Aaron’s hand lingering at the small of her back as they greeted Dave, Erin, and the rest of the team with hugs and smiles. It’s been  _ forever _ since they’ve all gotten together, let alone for an event as swanky as this. To his credit, Rossi had planned nothing less than an extravagant affair, with no detail unaccounted for . But it’s close to ten, and there’s no way to hide the exhaustion that’s starting to creep into her face.

“Hi,” she says with a smile when she sees him, still sipping from the glass of red wine in her hand. When she tips her head back, he thinks about dragging his lips down the smooth, pale skin.  _ Not yet. _ “Where’ve you been?” 

“Talking with Erin,” he says smoothly, bending down to kiss her cheek, getting a subtle whiff of her perfume - the one she saves for holidays and special occasions - the one he  _ loves _ . He still remembers the first time she wore it - the first time he took her out nearly five years ago.

“Strauss?” Emily blinks with disbelief, tilting her head to the side. “This entire time?”

“The one and only,” Aaron retorts, settling into JJ’s now empty seat.

“Wow. Some days I still can’t believe she and Dave are together,” Emily says, her voice low enough he has to lean in closer to hear her. 

“I know.” Aaron reaches for her wine, taking a sip. “They seem happy though, and they did a great job tonight. You and JJ looked like you were having fun.” 

Emily nods slowly. “We did. It was good to catch up. They have to get home too. The boys have soccer games tomorrow.”

Aaron laughs with a roll of his eyes. “I’m glad we have a few years until those days.” 

“Jack plays soccer,” Emily says thoughtfully, her eyes gazing into the expansive crowd of people. “You love going to his games.” 

“I meant  _ two _ kids’ sporting events,” Aaron muses, reaching for Emily’s hand, lacing his fingers through hers. “Travel teams. Weekend trips. Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it?” 

“We’ll figure out a way.” She’s eyeing him now cautiously. “What time is it?” 

He checks his watch. “Close to 10.” 

“Madison shouldn’t stay past 11.” Emily is already reaching for her wrap and purse, checking her phone that has been tucked away almost the whole night, but Aaron is too fast, gently taking them from her hands and setting them on his chair. 

“Madison has things under control, Em. She’s been with us for four years,” Aaron says reassuringly, reaching for her hands and pulling her to her feet. “But I think you might be forgetting something else.” 

She suddenly looks alarmed, her dark eyes growing wide. “There’s no way I  _ forgot _ something, Aaron. We went over that list too many times. You even checked it.” 

“I don’t mean at home, sweetheart,” he says, a glimmer in his eyes. 

Emily looks confused, her eyes narrowing, clearly racking her brain to remember just what she could have forgotten until she sees the grin on his face. “What, Aaron?” 

“Didn’t you promise me a dance when we agreed to come to this?” He says with a wink, flashing a handsome smile and wrapping his arm around her waist. Emily glances around at the room - Rossi and Erin have made their way to the dance floor, already starting to sway to the music. She groans - she’s not really in the mood to dance. 

“I was seven months pregnant when we agreed to come, Aaron. Haven’t you heard of pregnancy brain?” 

He feigns offense. “Mrs. Hotchner, you’d really break a promise to your  _ husband? _ ” 

“You know I don’t dance, Aaron.” She laughs softly, her smile reaching her tired eyes. “Plus it’s  _ late,  _ and we need to get home to the kids, _ ”  _ she adds for good measure, glancing around the party that is still going strong - people dancing, others mingling about, clearly in no hurry to leave. 

“Luckily, you don’t have to do much work.” He draws her in closer, her body flush against his, and his throat goes dry. “I always lead, don’t I?” 

_ He’s right _ , she thinks fondly. Of all the times she’s danced with him, he’s  _ always _ led her through the steps with confidence. Dancing was a skill she never knew he possessed until just a few years ago. Yet Emily hesitates, a shadow of the doubtful look on her face he’d seen earlier in her closet comes creeping back. He brushes a subtle, yet reassuring, kiss against her temple. 

“One dance, Em.” Aaron is more insistent this time, still clasping her hand in his, a hopeful look in his eyes. “Please?” 

Emily bites her lip, eyes shifting between the dance floor and her husband. With a roll of her eyes and a resigned sigh, she finally nods. “Fine.  _ One _ dance, Aaron.” 

He winks and pulls her gently toward the dance floor, drawing her into his arms once again as the band changes over to something slow. JJ and Will have joined them too, along with Erin and Dave somewhere in the mix of couples, all dressed to the nines in formalwear, on the dance floor. She’s looking for Garcia and Morgan - where have they wandered off to -when she hears Aaron just above the music.

“Em?” 

“Hmm?” 

“You look  _ beautiful _ tonight.” His voice is low against her ear, just loud enough that only she can hear him. “You  _ are _ beautiful,” he adds, tightening his grip around her waist. He spins her around, enjoying the way she feels in his arms, pliant and warm, then dips her, never releasing his hold on her lower back. 

“And you flatter me, Aaron.” Emily cups her hand around the back of his head, her eyes meeting his. “I love you.” She rests her head against his shoulder, letting him sway her in time with the music until the song fades out.

… 

When they get home, Emily breathes a sigh of relief upon hearing that everything went perfectly according to her plans. It’s just before 11 when his SUV pulls into the driveway, and Aaron pays Madison (and slips in an extra twenty dollars for good measure) as Emily checks on Jack. Tiptoeing into his room, she smiles when she sees him curled in his bed, fast asleep, the nightlight shining brightly in the corner. 

She picks up a few stray clothes and toys, silently putting them into the right baskets on the shelf before she drops a kiss on his head and softly shuts the door, and makes her way to Ava for her last nighttime feeding. 

“Hi, you,” Emily murmurs, lifting Ava from her crib, inhaling the baby scent she’s grown to love. The baby coos in her arms, and Emily nestles her against her chest, settling into the chair by the window with a feeling of contented happiness. She has this down to a science now, and it only takes a few moments of adjustment before Ava is happily taking her bottle. “Missed you tonight,” she whispers, rocking them back and forth as she feeds her. She’s grown to love these moments in time, rocking Ava back to sleep after feedings. Despite the exhaustion, she never minded the late nights - she’s used to an unconventional sleep schedule thanks to her years at the BAU.

“Em?” 

“In here,” she calls softly as she hears Aaron’s footsteps approaching down the hall. 

“Madison said goodnight,” He pops his head around the door. In the dim light, Emily can tell he’s already taken his jacket off and loosened his tie and sleeves. 

“I’ll text her tomorrow to thank her again. She always does a great job.” She leans her head back against the chair, smiling at Aaron with Ava in her arms. “Jack is asleep.” 

“I know. I just checked on him. How is she?” He moves closer to them both, leaning down to kiss Ava on the head and then Emily on the cheek.

“Almost done.” Emily expertly shifts Ava in her arms, patting her back gently. “A few more minutes.” 

Aaron settles on the floor next to the rocking chair, his hand on Emily’s calf. “I love watching you with her, you know.” He gently squeezes her leg, and Emily has to swallow the lump in her throat. “You’re an amazing mother, Emily.” 

She beams at the compliment, staring down at Ava’s head of dark hair. Sometimes she can’t believe this is how things ended up, after all this time. 

“Who would have thought we’d end up here … after  _ everything _ ?” Emily wonders out loud - it’s something she thinks about often, yet can’t always  _ talk _ about. There’s so much history between them - years of it, with some of those years lonely, some downright  _ awful - _ and even on the hardest, longest days of motherhood, she always thinks of how far they’ve come since the beginning. 

“I’d say we got pretty lucky.  _ I _ got lucky,” Aaron’s voice thickens just enough for her to lift her eyes from Ava, and she reaches down with her free hand to stroke his shoulder. He brings his hand up to cover hers, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. 

“Indeed.” As if to prove her point, Ava gurgles the precious way only a baby can, and Emily’s heart flutters in her chest. 

“You’re still wearing your shoes,” Aaron reaches over, gently tugging Emily’s expensive spiky heels from her feet. “I can’t believe you wore those. They can’t still be comfortable.” They’re some of the most extravagant ones she owns - an impulse purchase, and despite the lack of practicality, she secretly loves them. 

“They’re not, but she needed to eat first.” Emily can’t hide the exhaustion in her voice anymore, and with a sigh, she sets the bottle to the side once Ava finishes. “She’s done now.” For good measure she rocks her a few more minutes, carefully wiping the baby’s face, murmuring to her. “She’ll be good for the night.” 

“I’ll take the early feeding in the morning.” Aaron reaches for Ava this time, settling her over his shoulder, patting her back carefully. “If you even think about getting out of bed before 9 we’re going to have a problem.”

Emily rolls her eyes, but gives him a grateful smile. “What are you going to do, Aaron?” She asks teasingly. “Hold me hostage in the bedroom?” 

A boyish smirk crosses his face as he winks. “I wouldn’t have any issues with that.” 

“No, but our children might.” Emily pushes a piece of hair behind her ear. “I’d give them less than ten minutes until someone starts screaming for something.” 

“I don’t need ten minutes, sweetheart.” He’s still wearing that smirk - the one that tells her  _ exactly _ what is crossing through his mind - and she shivers. She’s well aware of the things he can do to her body in just minutes. 

“I got her, Em,” Aaron’s voice pulls her from her reverie, and he sways on his feet, bouncing Ava back and forth. “Go lay down. I’ll be there in a minute.” 

“Thank you.” She rises slowly, leaving her abandoned shoes on the ground. “She should go down again pretty easily.” She kisses her daughter goodnight before quietly closing the door, smiling to herself as she hears Aaron talking to Ava, settling her into her crib. 

…

Emily changes out of the green wrap dress and shakes it out, tossing it over the towel bar, and out of habit in the last three months, avoids the large mirror in their brightly lit bathroom as she slips her pajamas over her head - one of the few sets she owns that aren’t covered in spit-up, milk, or other mysterious, unidentified liquids. She skips the majority of her nighttime skincare regimen because she’s too tired, only swiping a makeup remover pad over her eyes and applying a thin layer of chapstick. 

She’s in bed, propped up by a pile of pillows, her phone in her hands when he finally joins her.

“She’s down,” Aaron slips into their bedroom, closing the door behind him. “You were right. Fell asleep right away.” He busies himself with the buttons on his dress shirt, tossing it to the side and toeing off his shoes. 

“I knew she would,” Emily murmurs, glancing up at him from her position in bed. “Remember the days she would scream all night?”

“Like it was yesterday.” Removing his watch, he’s eyeing her almost hungrily. “I don’t miss those days for sure.” 

“Aren’t you tired?” Emily sets her phone aside on the nightstand, meeting his gaze. 

“Oh, sweetheart, you’re forgetting something again.” By now his pants are abandoned too, and when he climbs in bed next to her, trailing a hand up her bare leg, it’s clear what he wants.

“What would that be?” Emily teases, winding her arm around his neck as he moves closer, sighing contentedly at the familiar press of his body against hers, the mattress dipping with his weight as he settles in. 

“You certainly haven’t  _ forgotten _ , have you?” Aaron pulls the strap of her pajamas down off her shoulder, his teeth nipping her skin just enough to make her twitch. “It wasn’t obvious, the way I looked at you all night?” 

_ It was obvious _ , Emily thinks, and the look on his face is so adoring she can’t help but roll onto her back and give him better access. Aaron’s hands are on her in seconds, slipping them under her shirt and up her ribcage, pulling the fabric over her head and on the floor. She gasps when his lips close around her nipple, and she cups her hand around the back of his head, as if encouraging him. His free hand palms the other breast in his hand, rolling and flicking her nipple with his fingers. Emily’s breath hitches in her throat, her leg hooking around Aaron’s waist, and she sighs contentedly when his tongue swirls around. 

“So you  _ do _ remember,” he croons. 

“Of course I remember, Aaron. How could I forget?” There’s longing in her voice - longing for him, for what they used to have. 

She’s  _ missed  _ him - they’ve only been together twice in the three months since Ava’s birth, thanks to her eight-week recovery and the general exhaustion that comes from being back to work full time and raising two children, along with the daily grind **.** Her recovery was a long one (an entire month longer than she’d anticipated. The first time had been woefully unsuccessful - she wasn’t fully healed yet and the tears that came within seconds of him pushing into her had quickly ended any chance of  _ any  _ kind of activity. He’d felt awful, and spent the rest of the night reassuring her that it would all be all right, she just had to be patient and let herself heal completely. The time after that (only two weeks ago) wasn’t much better, simply because she’d been so  _ disgusted  _ by her own body she couldn’t even pretend to relax.

Her enjoyment is short lived, and Emily flinches when his mouth leaves her nipple, lingering in the space between her breasts, brushing over her stomach, leaving a trail of kisses across the expanse of uncovered skin. He doesn’t notice a single one of the imperfections she’s so acutely aware of, and it only takes a few moments before every negative thought from before comes flooding back. “Aaron _ ,”  _ she hesitates beneath him, stiffening when he doesn’t stop. “ _ Aaron.”  _ The second time gets his attention, because a moment later, he’s lifting his head up, dark eyes meeting dark eyes. 

“Sweetheart,” he starts, concerned yet unsurprised, and Emily can’t help but feel guilty. 

“Please don’t,” her hands are shaking as she reaches for the sheet to cover herself.. “I don’t look -” 

“ _ Emily _ ,” Aaron stops, sitting up and reaching for her. “Oh, Emily.” He pulls her to him, his arms as comforting as his eyes are reverent, and he cups her face in his hands. “Sweetheart.” He sounds almost pleading this time. 

“I told you,” she averts her gaze. “I don’t want … I don’t feel like myself.” Emily bites her lip, staring over his shoulder at nothing in particular. She contemplates flipping the light off, but that would probably just make things worse. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.” 

Aaron sighs. “Look at me,” he says patiently, thumbs brushing over her cheeks, and he waits until her eyes slide back to his. When she finally does, he smiles gently. “What did I tell you earlier?” 

“I  _ know _ how you feel, Aaron. I just wish I felt the same way. I  _ wish _ it didn’t bother me like it does.” 

Her face flushes underneath his fingertips, and he smooths his thumbs over her cheeks again as she swallows a lump in her throat. “Em,” he starts again, even more patiently. “No matter what you think,  _ I  _ love you - all of you, and no matter how your body changes or how you think it does is going to change that.” 

She scoffs, attempting to pull away from him but he holds her still. “I’m  _ serious _ , Emily,” he adds, his hands gentle but his tone stern. “It doesn’t matter to me what you look like - or think you look like. You’re stuck with me, and I’ll never get tired of looking at you, no matter what. You’ll always be beautiful, you’ll always be  _ my  _ wife, the one I married.” He’s still holding her face, his face mere inches from hers.

She swallows thickly, bringing her hands up to wrap around his wrists. “You’re way too good to me, Aaron.” 

“Because I love you,” he says simply, pushing her back against the pillows and pressing her body into the mattress, dipping his head to kiss her. “Now where were we?” 

Emily smiles languidly into his kisses, persistent and lush and full. No matter what, she never gets tired of him either, especially when he kisses her, and he’s taking his time, slipping an arm beneath her to bring her in closer. “This is where we left off,” she murmurs against the shell of his ear, letting her teeth scrape over the skin there, her hand against the back of his neck. 

“I didn’t forget,” he whispers. “I could never.” He rears back and throws the sheets aside, shucking the rest of his clothes and climbing back into bed, but not without giving her an admiring stare. His fingers dip into the waistband of her sleep pants. “These need to go,” Aaron says decidedly. 

“What are you waiting for?” Emily shifts her hips up in his direction teasingly, and it makes his heart swell because the doubt in her face is gone, replaced with eyes hooded with lust and glazed with need. 

He slides the pants over her hips and throws them to the side, abandoned on the floor with the rest of their clothes. This time he settles between her legs, careful to avoid putting too much weight over her, her knees press against his hips, and their mouths meet in a heated kiss as his hand trails down her body. Emily moans into his mouth, her hips starting to rock against him.

“Sweetheart,” Aaron murmurs, biting her shoulder with just enough force to leave a mark. Her breath catches in her throat again, her hands trailing over his back and shoulders, then coming to rest in his hair. He dips his hand down between her legs, where she’s wet and warm and when his fingertips slide over her slick skin, Emily keens loud enough he’s glad he closed the bedroom door. He knows her body better than his own at this point - so many years later - so when he presses his thumb against her clit and rubs a circle, he knows exactly what she’ll do. 

“ _Aaron,_ ” Emily breaths, glancing at him with wildly unfocused eyes. “Again,” she insists, letting her knees fall to the sides. He moves his mouth down her body, kissing the places he loves most - the curve of her ribcage, the planes of her stomach, as his fingers push inside of her and his thumb flicks across her clit again. Emily’s hips nearly collide with his face; he has to pin her down gently to settle her while he continues to simultaneously take her apart. 

“You’re so beautiful, Emily,” he says adoringly, coaxing her. “God, I love you.” 

She’s whimpering now, craving more, and Aaron adds a third finger and curls them up with practiced precision, his thumb moving in perfect tandem, and when her muscles start to flutter around his hand, the sounds coming from her becoming less and less intelligible, he pulls away, leaving her breathless. 

“What - are - you -” She can barely finish her sentence, her chest heaving, her skin flushed red. She looks confused, her lip between her teeth, and Aaron can’t help but pull her in for a kiss, smoothing her hair from her face. 

“Don’t rush it, Em” he says patiently, even though she’s practically writhing into the bed. He wants this to last - wants to take her apart over and over - and he’s willing to take his time getting her to that point. 

Emily groans - she’s no stranger to his tactics, even though she falls for it every time. He’s always been the more patient of the two, she much less so. “Aaron, you’re such a - Oh my God.” 

The insult falls off her lips, and now she’s moaning because he’s used her distraction to his advantage, moving down her body expertly and nudging her legs open wider with his shoulder. It almost knocks the wind out of her when his mouth is on her suddenly, his tongue pushing inside of her this time and then pressing against her clit with more pressure than she can handle. 

“Oh fuck,” Emily can hardly breathe and he’s barely even gotten started. His lips are insistent, lapping and caressing her, using the flat of his tongue to drive her insane. Emily’s hands thread through his hair, tugging hard as her back arches off the bed. “That feels  _ so _ good,” she encourages him, her hips starting to undulate underneath him

“I know what this does to you, sweetheart.” His teeth scrape lightly over her clit and he looks up at her at the exact moment her eyes roll back into her head, pushing two of his fingers back inside of her. Her back arches so dramatically he thinks her spine might snap in half. But he doesn’t stop, and Emily practically screams as his tongue caresses her once more as his fingers move in the way he knows she loves. 

Minutes later, he’s kissing her inner thighs because she’s too sensitive for anything more but he can’t pull away from her. 

“Aaron,” she says, her voice echoing into the dim room when she can finally see straight again. Her legs are still shaking on his shoulders, and he carefully unhooks them with a kiss to each of her knees. He moves back up, kissing her along the way every place he can reach, and when he’s face to face with her, he cups her cheek with his hand. 

“That was …” she shivers, yet her skin is damp with sweat, and he has to brush her hair out of her face. “I’ve missed you. Well...I’ve missed you, doing that.” 

Aaron seals his mouth over hers, his tongue dueling hers for a few blissful moments before he pulls away, cradling her in his arms. “I’ve been here the whole time, Emily,” he laughs, running his fingers over the soft skin of her lower back. She fits perfectly in his arms like she always has.  _ Not that anything ever changed that _ . 

“I know,” she murmurs, fluttering her eyelashes seductively. “I want you,” she adds, reaching down and wrapping her small hand around him, offering a few strokes before he bats her hand away. 

“Sweetheart,” he takes her by the shoulders, easily turning them so she straddles his waist, her hands resting on his chest, giving him a full view of her body. His heart surges with pride when she doesn’t blanch, doesn’t attempt to cover herself from him. She looks at him questioningly. Surely he would have been on top. 

“It might be better for you this way, Emily” he reaches up and runs his fingers over her face soothingly. The last thing he would want is to cause her any unnecessary pain - and so be damned he’s going to take this as slow as she needs to.

Emily nods, her hair a dark curtain around her face, and his hands are gentle on her hips when she lifts up to line herself up with him. He brushes against her center and groans at the warmth of her, already reminding himself to go slowly instead of driving right into her like he’d do on a normal day. “I’m right here,” he says, eyes locked with hers as she takes him slowly, cautiously, inch by inch, until he can’t go any further. “Relax,” he reminds her - himself too, because tonight isn’t about him, it’s about her. 

“I know.” Her head falls against his shoulder as he sits up and his arms close around her, his heart pressed against hers as they slowly start to rock together in perfect unison, like they haven’t missed a beat. 

“I love you Emily,” he says into her ear, not for the first time that evening, every motion of his hips well timed, meeting hers. “So much.” 

Her head rolls back this time, exposing her neck, and Aaron presses his lips to her skin, cups her breasts in his hands, and thrusts into her as she cries out again, dangerously close to her peak. “I - I love you too. God, you feel so good.” 

He smiles into their kiss, their hips continuing to rock together with just the right amount of pressure and speed, each thrust bringing them higher until Emily’s thighs start to tremble - the sign she’s close. Aaron dips his hand between them and uses the tip of his thumb to stroke her clit, quick flicks the way he’s learned will make her come almost immediately. When she breaks with a sharp gasp, her head falling forward, he’s right there to capture her lips in one more kiss, and she moans right into his mouth until he goes seconds later, spilling into her with a shuddering groan. 

Moments later she practically collapses against him, and only then does he realize he’s still inside of her. “Emily,” he says with admiration, stroking the skin of her hips, shifting her off of him. “You’re incredible.” 

From her position beside him she beams, her cheeks flushed pink and her skin ever so damp with sweat. She doesn’t say anything, just nestles herself against him, her fingers running over his bare stomach. 

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Aaron is suddenly all concerned, sitting up purposefully, reaching for her, brushing Emily’s hair from her face, staring into her eyes. “I didn’t get too carried away?” 

She shakes her head emphatically. “No, Aaron. You were perfect.” She then kisses him, deeply, her lips wet, and she can’t remember a time she’s ever felt more loved than she does in that very moment.

…

When Emily opens her eyes hours later, she hears laughter coming from downstairs, the television  _ already _ on, and the aromatic scent of coffee drifting lazily up the stairs into their room. 

The sheets slide across her bare skin; she’s still naked underneath the covers, and a quick glance of the clock tells her it’s well past 8. She reaches for the glass of water at her bedside, making a mental reminder to hydrate well today, because she can  _ definitely _ feel the beginnings of dehydration setting in her body.  _ After three glasses of wine?  _ She thinks lamely, and her mind flashes back to the girls’ nights with JJ and Garcia where she’d drink twice that much with little to no consequences at all.  _ Oh, how times have changed.  _

She hears the door creak open, looking up to find Aaron in the threshold. “Are you awake?” He says softly, Ava in his arms. “Someone wanted to say good morning.” 

“Mmhm,” Emily sits up against the pillows. “Is that a movie I hear? Before 9?” 

“Jack wanted to.” Aaron shrugs apologetically. “Only another half-an hour,” he adds, bringing Ava around to the side of the bed. 

“Pushover,” Emily grumbles good-naturedly. “Did she eat?” When Aaron passes her over, she beams, a huge smile breaking across her face. She cradles Ava against her chest, stroking her cheek with a finger.

“I took care of it, sweetheart. She’s been fed, changed,  _ and _ we did fifteen minutes of tummy time.” Aaron sits on the edge of the bed, looking proud of himself, his eyes never leaving Emily and Ava.

“Wow,” Emily whistles, semi-impressed. “You’ve been busy. Impressive, considering how  _ late _ you were up last night.” She grins slyly at the last sentence. 

A serious expression crosses his face. “I told you I would take care of everything. You needed to rest.” 

“I guess you’re right.”  _ He is right, _ Emily thinks as Ava’s eyes flutter closed. 

“Do you want coffee? It just finished.” Aaron leans in to kiss her cheek, lingering for just a few extra seconds, his eyes meeting hers. “I used the new brand - the one you wanted.” 

“I’ll never say no to coffee.” Emily leans back into the pillows, using Aaron’s to prop up the arm holding Ava. “I’ll be down in a moment.” 

Aaron shakes his head. “You’re staying right here. I’ll bring it up to you.” He rises to his feet, gathering some of the abandoned pillows on the ground and tossing them onto the bed. 

“I have to get up eventually, Aaron.” She  _ does _ have an entire list of things to do, and it isn’t getting any shorter. But, she’s completely enjoying this moment in bed with her daughter, and for a brief minute she considers what would happen if  _ nothing _ on that list got checked off.

“I might just keep you in bed all day, sweetheart,” he throws over his shoulder with a wink. “Coffee will be right up.” 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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